Notes on Tasmanian Rat Kangaroos 



by 



Ron C Kirmivw 

 i Honoraiy Associate, Queen Victoria 

 Museum. Launceslon) 



|Mltnl)l < IIKN 



There are two species Of 'Rat 

 K.m^.i! .10 ' m laxmania ITwy 



BetWgttl '.unienha 0«Y and I'oto- 

 wu tridac^lom Ken I hese animals 

 will be referred lo below .is the 

 Ekstiobg and the Potorou respectively. 



I Ik -sc note, are a record of ohserva- 

 ,,„„., made between the sears L95G 

 and 1950 in an area near the lamai 

 River, North lasmama. Compan 

 sons between the animals and the 

 types of hahita! in whieh thev ate 

 fOUn<l have heen made 



The terrain m lasmama is VCfJ 

 mountainous and an abnipi use ol 



sever*! tbotisaod fed within a lew 



miles is not uncommon. The climate 

 ranees from super humid in ttrt "est 

 to sub-humid Ed the cast coastal area 

 Rat Kangaroos arc hunul over a 

 great deal of the Stale and in a wide 

 range of conditions. The urea 

 studied herein consists of a lew 

 square miles m the vicinity of Our 

 enee Point on the west bank of the 

 la.nar River, near the rivet mouth. 

 North Tasmania. 



In this area the climate is rela- 

 tively dry: the average rainfall being 

 less than 25 inches annually with 

 considerable fluctuations over I 

 period. The terrain is undulating, to 

 hilly, the highest elevations being in 

 the" vicinity of 200 10 ?50 feet. The 

 vegetation consists ot selerophyll 

 forest in part associated with heath 

 spp.. grass sward, or with tea-tree 

 scrub. Very little ol the area can 

 be said 10 be a natural bush environ- 

 ment. Uuruine. and clearing with rc- 

 growth have been the order for many 



years. Since the observations Vr , 

 made a more vmoious dewing ?r, 

 gramme has been conducted I l> 

 areas are given ovci to orchard ,, : 

 pasture, Both the Hetioug an 

 Potoroo were common in the iqj 

 dm nig the period ol observation 



OlSIINCUHSIUNI, RSAWW s 



Rat Kangaroos are small kangaruo 

 like marsupials, which, owing k] th..- 

 small size and rat-like gait or vi«;, st 

 have heen compared to the rat. 

 Aecordin.e lo I roughlou ( 1943b) ft 

 name "kangaroo Rat" was „ H ,. 

 when the animal was liist dCSCftlu4 

 and illustrated in 17«? 111 «*« I'm 

 BfiC ol Governor I'hlllip l(> Honor 

 iitiv", because ol kaugaroo-Iik, 

 | II( ibs and tat like usage, Aiiothn 

 -.miliar animal is the Hrush Wall;.), 

 01 Pademelon. a hnlkiei animal, 



Ihc Poloioo is not unlike the Ka 

 long, but it has no crest on |hl I 

 tail." the white tip ol which is mud) 

 longer, I he hair is grc\ hi own II | 

 brown Itu- hind foot is .shnitci thai 



the head fU»il nud Scott. 1924); ii 



is the sluut hind loot which 1, 

 responsible lot the gait which hi 

 uilves the tore-linlhs as well as tin 

 hind (Irougbion. l l .U<bl. I his 0$ 

 is ral-like ;ittd the animal scunio 

 hut does mil hop. This is a UStfv 

 field recognition factor as (he Belton^ 

 hops like a kangaroo I he Poto- 

 roo is also a plumper animal. Peal 

 son (1^151 and » lnlayson I 1938] 

 list important points ol distinct ion 

 r.i.lhei detail of cxnrnaN is ei o" 

 by QtlllCt I 1961 I bom examination 

 ol numerous specimens In Soutli 



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Vict Nat Vol Bis 



